I am sometime amazed by the rudeness of my students. As a child I would never consider touching anything belonging to the teacher. If it was the teacher's, or just sitting on the teacher's desk, I would never dream of touching it. But Korean kids think it's fine to pick up the teacher's glasses, or even pick up his cell phone and start messing with it. They'll even go through my desk drawer and take out anything that catches their eye. I've even had kids go through my jacket pockets.

Yea this happens sometimes to me. Not all kids, just some kids do not get. Some other reasons on why the kids do this.

One the cultural aspect of since we are outsiders we are not considered someone to show respect.

Two, the little prince/princess/only child behavior. Kids are not always told no by mom or dad. They are spoiled and coddled. With that comes with they can do no wrong or they can do what ever they want.

Three. Well, they are kids. Kids of all races and ages do things without thinking. They are curious. Children do not think the same as adults.

For example, I once had a middle school girl stand on a chair and proceed to draw a big word on the wall, in front of me! Yes there was a bunch of old graphite and doodles on the wall. Yet she just thought standing and writing a big word on the wall was fine. I asked why and she just acted shocked and could not really say why. I would not say malice, just she was not thinking. Some wierd though process of hey I want to write this on the wall, skipped over bunch of thought processes like social mores, why, what will the teacher think, and just did it.

This only happens with one of my students and he's ... special. He'll pick up anything he wants and play with it before, during and after class. But he's the only one who doesn't respect teacher's stuff.

They are just kids, they are curious. Keep your things out of reach of students. I don't see how your students are able to get a hold of your phone or go through your jacket. Set your boundries.
I am sure this not a problem specific to just Korean kids.

In my years in Korea I have not had this problem because I don't leave my things where students can get hold of them.

I can relate to the OP. I was typing on my laptop one day as my students started coming in my room (maybe 6 minutes before class). Suddenly, one of the kids grabbed my monitor and wrenched it down real fast, so it was almost at a 180º angle. I was shocked. Like the OP, I come from an upbringing where that kind of behavior would get you suspended from school. Sure, "kids are kids." But kids who are never taught boundaries are kids that don't have any limits. I don't think it's inevitable that young people automatically act this way.

Like one of the other posters said about the girl drawing on the wall, I really think that some of these kids just don't factor in (or even have any) consequences of their actions. I see it in other ways too, not just in my classroom: torn posters in the hallway, empty ramen wrappers and spilled milk cartons in the elevator, etc.

As for all these macho comments saying "lock it up", that's nice and cute and all - if there's anywhere to actually lock your stuff. However, there are some alternatives. When I started, I always got annoyed at students when they'd make a mad-dash for the board markers and start scribbling all over the board, draining all my ink. I've since situated my desk and all my stuff in one corner so they'd have to get past me first. Since then, the students have gradually stopped racing for the markers, and after a month they stopped that behavior altogether.

Did you grab your teachers' things when you were a kid? I certainly didn't, and don't remember anyone else doing it either. It was unthinkable

My generation NO! It did not happen.

My son's generation...it has changed so much. I attended a few events at my sons elementary school here in Canada here is what I saw:

-Students addressing their teachers by their first names "Hi Nancy".
-Vastly different classroom etiquette and behavior compared to when I was a kid, far more freedom in class for example.
- Teachers desk being a central area that kids can use to grab papers, class materials....

It has changed so much and the line between teacher and student has blurred a lot. I am not saying I like all of this but too many of us are stuck in the memory of how it was when we were kids in school and forget that things have changed....

Heck calling my teacher anything but Mister or Maam was unthinkable in my day. There is no way I would have called my teacher Bob or Julie. It was Mr Dawson or Miss Jones. Yet today it's different.

As a result, my son's teacher keeps her personal effects in the teachers lounge and has a locked drawer in her class for her personal stuff.

I think this is really anal and you are expecting all kids to act they way you want or how you did when you grew up. The fact is kids will do things like this. Instead of writing a thread complaining about it, set your boundries and tell your kinds firmly when you think something is inappropriate.
This is probably more an issue of your teaching. You expect eveyone to behave perfectly, when in fact part of a teachers job is to be an example to young kids what is acceptable behaviour and what is not.
If you relate to your kids and know how to assert your authority as a teacher at the right times, you won't have kids touching your things all the time.

OP forget what people are saying they "are just kids." Kids should have boundaries and they are still able to be taught that. Just explode if any one of them touch your things again and make them an example.
The problem with classroom management is the will to do and the will to expend the amount of energy to get it accomplished. If you are persistent then it could be done. I just don't have the energy to stay on top of 8-10 kids each hour at work, so as you could imagine my kids aren't very disciplined (plus I don't get paid enough to have the desire to try).

Yes, things have changed for the worse. Mainly down to the sentimentalists view that 'kids are kids' and should have a free rein in their surroundings, learn through exploration etc...without being told not to do stuff. The fact that a modern teacher is being told by everyone that it is his fault and he should lock his belongings away in the classroom is a sad reminder of the way things have deteriorated. I imagine if a kid stole some of the belongings from an unlocked drawer the reaction would also be that it was the teacher's 'fault' - never the kid's responsibility.

I must agree. Saying "kids will be kids" is a cop out. There are polite children and there are brats. It is the responsibility of parents and home room teachers to instill acceptable behavior in children. I've experienced the same thing as the OP. Students picking up and changing the settings on my phone, taking pictures with it, changing the ringtone, etc. Completely unacceptable....Christ, I've even had kids take my glasses off my face.

If it belongs to a teacher do not touch it. That goes double if it's on her person.